Wendy arrived.

After finishing their shopping spree at the mall, Cecelia brought Wendy directly to 1996 Bar. Tonight, she was determined to throw a celebration party for Wendy.

Wendy hadn't expected to run into Stanley and his friends here, but she could hear their mocking remarks.

She recognized Benny and the others in the luxury booth. They were part of Stanley's circle, and Benny was Stanley's close friend. Back when Stanley had a whirlwind romance with Jessica, they were all fans of Jessica, with Benny even regarding her as Stanley's future wife.

Over the past three years, Wendy had never truly integrated into their group. None of them ever accepted her.

The labels they plastered on her were always the same: desperate substitute bride, ugly duckling, country bumpkin, and the like.

When a man didn't love you, his friends wouldn't respect you either.

Cecelia, already fuming, rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront them. "I'm going to tear their mouths apart!"

Wendy quickly held her back. "Cecelia, forget it! We're divorced now—there's no need to stoop to their level."

Seeing Wendy's calm and indifferent demeanor, Cecelia reluctantly held back her temper. Then, as more and more people began to notice Wendy and exclaimed, calling her an angel, Cecelia's mood improved. "Wendy, let's go. Time to party."

Cecelia dragged Wendy to another luxury booth and waved her hand grandly. "Bring all the male hosts from 1996 Bar over here!"

Meanwhile, back at Stanley's booth, Benny and the others continued to mock Wendy. That was when they felt an icy and sharp gaze fall upon them.

Looking up, they saw Stanley lazily lifting his cold gaze to glare at them.

His expression was chilling, displeased, and full of warning. The men stopped laughing, and they immediately shut up, not daring to speak ill of Wendy again.

Benny glanced at Stanley. Although Stanley had never paid much attention to Wendy, she had, after all, cared for him diligently for three years. It seemed Stanley still held some regard for that.

At that moment, the commotion around them grew louder.

"Wow, what a stunning angel!"

'An angel? Where?'

Following the direction of the crowd's gaze, Benny looked ahead and was instantly dumbfounded. "Holy crap, she really is an angel."

The other rich young men were equally astonished, their eyes glued to her. "When did such a stunning angel begin existing in Hovendale? How have we never seen her before?"

Benny nudged Stanley. "Stanley, look! It's an angel."

Stanley, who had no shortage of women around him, wasn't interested. He had seen all kinds of women—slim, curvy, and everything in between. He had no intention of looking, but Wendy's booth happened to be right across from theirs.

When Stanley glanced over, he saw Wendy.

Without her black-framed glasses and her usual dull, conservative attire, she revealed a delicate, fair face, her naturally exquisite bone structure, and ethereal beauty shining through. Her long, glossy black hair flowed gracefully over her shoulders, making her look like a true angel.

Stanley paused, staring at her for two full seconds.

Benny was excited. "Stanley, what do you think of the angel?"

Another rich young man chimed in, "Mr. Hawk probably doesn't think much of her. Mr. Hawk likes delicate beauties like Jessica, not cold, aloof angels."

"But look at her legs! Her legs are just as stunning as Jessica's."

Wendy was wearing a short, Chanel-inspired dress, shedding her usual conservative style and showing her legs for the first time.

Her legs were perfectly proportioned—slender yet shapely. Those were legs that could make any man's imagination run wild.

She looked just as good as Jessica.

Stanley stared at the 'angel' for a moment and couldn't shake the feeling that she looked familiar, as if he'd seen her somewhere before.

Just then, a line of male hosts walked in, all tall and handsome, forming a row in front of Wendy.

Cecelia grinned. "Wendy, make your pick of eight."

Deciding to indulge herself to celebrate her escape from the misery of marriage, Wendy smiled and pointed. "You, you, you... All of you stay."

Benny counted aloud. "One, two, three... Eight! She actually picked eight male hosts at once!"

The other rich young men laughed. "Why waste money? If the angel just asked, we'd serve her for free."

Everyone chuckled.

Ding!

Stanley's phone buzzed again with a notification. Picking it up, he glanced at it to see what Wendy had spent on this time.

[Dear VVIP user, your card ending in 0975 has been charged 500,000 dollars at 1996 Bar for eight male hosts.]

Stanley froze, staring at the words before raising his eyes toward the so-called angel across the room.

If that wasn't Wendy, who else could it be?

Stanley was speechless.

Eight male hosts surrounded Wendy, pouring drinks into her glass. "Let's play a drinking game."

Cecelia clapped happily. "Yes, let's play!"

In the first round, Wendy lost. One of the male hosts handed her a drink. "Please drink some."

Wendy took a sip, but the other male hosts protested. "Why drink his and not ours? We want to serve you too."

Surrounded by all the attention, Wendy found it impossible to keep up, overwhelmed by the 'sweet burden' of their pampering.

Stanley's eyes narrowed, his handsome features tensing into a grim expression. Without a word, he stood up and strode out.

Benny was taken aback. "Stanley? Where are you going?"

Wendy was about to take another drink when a large, strong hand reached over, grabbed her slender wrist, and pulled her up like she was a rag doll. Startled, she looked up to see Stanley's handsome face suddenly looming over her.

She froze for a second, then quickly tried to break free. "Stanley, let go of me!"

His face darkened and he dragged her away without a word.

Cecelia stood up. "Stanley, what are you doing? Let Wendy go!"

Benny and the others were completely stunned. They stared, dumbfounded, as if they had just misheard something.

"Wendy?"

"That angel is Wendy?"

"Is this the same ugly duckling Wendy we know?"

"She's actually stunning!"

As they watched Stanley drag Wendy away, her cold, ethereal beauty still lingering in their vision, Benny muttered, "Damn, Wendy, who no longer chases after Stanley, just turned into a full-blown angel!"

-

Stanley's grip was firm and unrelenting, like an iron shackle. No matter how much Wendy struggled, she couldn't break free.

His strides were long, forcing Wendy to stumble as she tried to keep up. "Stanley, let go of me!"

Finally, Stanley stopped and flung her backward. Wendy's slender frame collided against the cold wall behind her.

Before she could regain her balance, Stanley's tall figure loomed over her, pressing her against the wall.

His eyes burned with fury. "Wendy, do you think I'm dead, playing around like this?"

Wendy furrowed her brows. "What did I do?"

Stanley clenched his jaw. "Who told you to dress like this?"

'What? Like this?' she wondered. "What do you mean, Stanley?!"

Stanley glanced at her ultra-short skirt. "Your thighs are almost exposed. Do you really want people to see your legs like this?"

Wendy's skirt was a bit short, but it was Cecelia's choice.

Cecelia's exact words were, "My dearest Wendy doesn't show her legs, but look at how Jessica flaunts hers. Tonight, let everyone see who has the best legs in Hovendale."

Wendy raised her finely arched eyebrows. "Looks like Mr. Hawk noticed my legs."

Stanley paused.

Wendy leaned back against the wall, appearing languid and graceful. She slowly lifted her right leg, her crystal-high heel brushing against his ankle.

Stanley had on black trousers, showcasing his long, muscular legs, exuding an aura of coldness and restraint.

Wendy's pale foot gently grazed up his ankle, moving provocatively along his calf. It was an act of seduction and defiance.

Stanley shot her a cold glance. "What are you doing?"

Wendy curved her lips into a smile. "Mr. Hawk, which do you prefer? My legs, or Jessica's?"

Stanley stared at her small, delicate face that glowed with celestial radiance, yet she provocatively seduced him with a dazzling smile.

Last night, he had glimpsed the beauty hidden beneath her dark-rimmed glasses, but he hadn't expected her to be this beautiful.

He felt like he had seen this face somewhere before.

Wendy's clear eyes sparkled. "Mr. Hawk, has Jessica ever wrapped her legs around your waist?"

Stanley's breath hitched. His handsome face moved closer to hers, his gaze softening with a tenderness Wendy had never seen before. "Wendy, are you really this shameless? All you think about is men. You even hired eight male hosts to satisfy your needs!"

He didn't answer Wendy's question about Jessica. That was perhaps the best kind of protection a man could offer a woman.

Their love had been so passionate, full of youthful excitement. Jessica's legs had definitely wrapped around his waist, or else why would he still remember her so fondly?

Jessica was lucky to have a man like Stanley so deeply attached to her. He would never describe her as 'shameless.'

Though Wendy wore a smile, her eyes remained clear and distant. "Well, Mr. Hawk, your body isn't up to par and can't satisfy me, so of course I have to go out and find men. Let's get divorced quickly. If the first man doesn't work, the next will be better."

Did she actually say he was inadequate, and the next man would be better?

This woman was truly asking for it.

Stanley reached out, grabbing Wendy's chin. "Are you trying to provoke me? Do you really want to know if I'm up to the task?"

'What?' Wendy froze.

Stanley moved closer to her lips, teasing, but with words that carried no warmth. "Dream on. I won't touch you. The one I love is Jessica."

He loved Jessica.

He didn't even need to say it—Wendy already knew. It stung her heart, the sharp pain spreading through her, though the ache wasn't obvious.

At that moment, a sweet voice rang out. "Stanley."

Wendy looked up—Jessica had arrived.

Jessica, the Red Rose of Hovendale, was a beautiful woman with rosy lips and perfect teeth, her body delicate from years of ballet training.

Stanley immediately released Wendy and walked toward Jessica. He lowered his gaze to meet hers, his eyes filled with a tenderness Wendy had never seen. "You're here."

Jessica nodded, then turned to Wendy. "Who's this?"

Jessica didn't recognize Wendy at first.

However, Wendy would never forget Jessica.

Wendy and Jessica were stepsisters, but from completely different parents. Harry, Wendy's father, wasn't her biological father, but her stepfather.

Many years ago, Wendy had a happy family with her real father, Jerry, and her mother Lilian, who were always respectful toward each other.

Her father loved her dearly, always lifting her high. "Wendy, please be happy always."

Then, one day, her father suddenly passed away. Harry, Jerry's brother, moved in with his daughter Jessica. Wendy's mother became Jessica's mother as well.

Her mother remarried her second uncle. Her mother loved Jessica and stopped loving her.

When Jessica got an A in a test and Wendy got an A+, her mother hit her hand with a ruler. "Can't you give your sister a break? Why must you outdo her?"

When Jessica fell ill and had to undergo chemotherapy, her head had to be shaved. She cried, saying she had become ugly.

In response, Wendy's mother immediately shaved Wendy's head. "You should look the same as your sister so she won't cry."

Every night, her mother, Jessica, and Harry would sleep together, laughing and playing.

Wendy, holding the doll her late father had bought her, would stand outside their door, crying alone. "Mommy, I'm scared…"

Eventually, Jessica called her mother "Mom," which made her mother incredibly happy. But then Jessica said, "A mother can only have one daughter."

One rainy day, Wendy's mother took her to the countryside and left her there.

Wendy chased after the car, crying uncontrollably.

"Mommy, don't leave me! I'll be good, I'll always put my sister before me… Mommy, hold me… I'm scared…!"

Wendy fell heavily into the muddy water while holding her doll, watching helplessly as her mother's car disappeared from view.

Wendy would never forget Jessica.

At that moment, Benny rushed over. "Jessica, this is…your sister, Wendy!"

Jessica was stunned. "You're Wendy?"

Wendy knew that Jessica had always looked down on her.

When they were young, Jessica had always been the one to beat her. As Jessica grew up, she excelled in everything. Later, she even dated Stanley, the heir of the Hawk family. She grew up in a world of admiration and love, full of pride and arrogance.

Benny, once again, was stunned by Wendy's ethereal beauty. He whispered, "I didn't expect Wendy to be this beautiful."

Jessica's memory of their childhood was fuzzy because she had never truly paid attention to her unloved sister. But wasn't her sister the ugly duckling from the countryside?

Jessica approached Wendy, glancing at her, her brow raised in haughty pride. "Wendy, I didn't expect you to start dressing like me."

Wendy remained silent. 'Well, if you say so,' she thought.

Wendy straightened her slender back, smiling but saying nothing. The light from the corridor illuminated her delicate, otherworldly face, making it glow like a precious pearl.

She was no longer the Wendy from before.

Jessica sneered. "Wendy, I heard you're getting a divorce with Stanley. Can't you live without a man? Coming to a bar to hire male hosts to fulfill your desires? If I were you, I'd get a job."

As she spoke, Jessica glanced at Stanley. In a tone that seemed almost benevolent, she added, "Stanley, Wendy took care of you for so long. Even if she was your maid, you should at least find her a job."

Stanley's gaze landed on Wendy's face.

"Jessica, nowadays, you need a degree to get a job. What's Wendy's education?" Benny said.

Jessica seemed to recall something amusing. She lifted her chin and laughed.

"Wendy dropped out of school at 16."

Benny was stunned. '16 years old?'

The reason people in Benny's social circle held Jessica in such high regard wasn't just because of her beauty. It was also because of her exceptional academic achievements. She was a high achiever at a prestigious university, someone unmatched even among Hovendale's socialites.

She deserved to be with Stanley.

For any woman, beauty alone was a dead end. Beauty combined with education was the real trump card. The higher the social class, the more they valued a woman's education.

Benny's initial admiration for Wendy vanished instantly. His tone became dismissive. "Wendy, did you seriously drop out of school at 16?"

Wendy glanced at Jessica, who stood there with pride, and smiled faintly. "Yes, I did stop studying at 16."

Benny sneered, "Well, what a coincidence. Stanley also stopped studying at 16. But he's a true prodigy, earning dual master's degrees from Harfield at that age and making history. And you? Dropped out of high school with nothing to your name!"

His mockery echoed loudly.

Jessica stood tall, looking down at Wendy with disdain.

Stanley, with his tall and imposing figure, stood silently under the corridor lights. His handsome face remained unreadable as his gaze fell on Wendy.

For the past three years, Wendy had been just a housewife, revolving around him. It was no surprise she lacked education.

Wendy, however, didn't seem embarrassed or flustered. Instead, her clear, luminous eyes met his gaze. Then she smiled gracefully and said, "Yes, what a coincidence."

'Indeed, what a coincidence.'

For reasons he couldn't explain, Stanley felt a ripple in his heart.

He suddenly noticed how beautiful Wendy's eyes were—brimming with vitality and seemingly able to speak volumes without words.

"Wendy!" At that moment, Cecelia came rushing over. She glared at Jessica. "Jessica, are you bullying Wendy again?"

Jessica responded proudly, "We weren't bullying Wendy. We were just discussing helping her find a job."

Cecelia was stunned. "You're helping Wendy find a job?"

Jessica continued her magnanimous act. "Yes. Even though Wendy lacks education and qualifications, we'll try our best to help her secure something decent."

Cecelia laughed in disbelief. "Do you even know who Wendy is? Wendy is—"

Wendy quickly grabbed Cecelia's arm to stop her. "Cecelia, let's go."

Cecelia held back her words, but before leaving, she cast a mocking glance at Jessica. "You'll regret this someday!"

With that, she led Wendy away.

Benny fumed, "What's wrong with Wendy? She dropped out of school at 16 and still acts so arrogant! If I were her, I'd be too ashamed to show my face."

Jessica wasn't upset. She had never truly looked at Wendy as a rival—Wendy wasn't even qualified to compete with her. Getting angry at Wendy would only lower her status.

She smiled loftily at Benny. "Benny, let it go. Ignorance is bliss."

Benny turned to Stanley. "Stanley, you should hurry up and divorce Wendy. She's not worthy of you."

Stanley's expression remained calm as his gaze briefly lingered on Wendy's departing figure.

"Let's go," he said to Jessica.

Jessica nodded. "Alright."

And so, Jessica and Benny left with Stanley.

-

Later, outside the bar...

"Mr. Hawk?" a voice called out.

Stanley looked up to see a familiar face. It was Dave Suarez, the president of Harfield University.

Stanley approached him. "Mr. Suarez, what brings you to Hovendale?"

Jessica, always respectful of such prestigious figures, greeted him as well. Although she had always excelled academically, she hadn't been able to secure a spot at a top-tier institution like Harfield.

Dave smiled. "Mr. Hawk, I'm here for a seminar. What a coincidence—you have a junior alumna here in Hovendale too."

Stanley paused. "A junior alumna?"

Dave nodded. "Yes, Harfield has two legends. The first is you, Stanley. The second is your junior alumna. Like you, she earned dual master's degrees at 16. She's a high-IQ prodigy. Unfortunately, you were a few years apart, so you've never met her."

Benny's curiosity was piqued. "Wow! Stanley's junior is that amazing? Who's better between the two of them?"

Dave smiled and looked at Stanley. "They're evenly matched."

Stanley raised an eyebrow. He had never encountered a woman who could be his equal.

Jessica, who had been calm earlier, suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of jealousy. This mysterious prodigious junior made her feel threatened.

"Who is this junior?" she wondered aloud.

Dave pulled out his phone. "Mr. Hawk, I've sent you her WhatsApp contact. She's also in Hovendale. You should connect with her and look out for her since you're her senior."

Stanley nodded. "Alright."

After Dave left, Benny urged, "Stanley, add her WhatsApp now! I want to see what she looks like."

Stanley switched on his phone and found the contact. It had a profile named simply 'W,' with a plain white background.

"What does the 'W' stand for?" Benny asked excitedly.

Stanley didn't know either. He sent a friend request, adding the note, "Stanley."

The request was pending approval.

Benny was buzzing with excitement. "Stanley, once she adds you, introduce her to me! I'm in awe of her already."

Jessica, sensing the shift in attention, grew visibly unhappy.

At that moment, a Rolls-Royce pulled up. Stanley's personal secretary, Zayn Cameron, had arrived.

Jessica seized the opportunity to cut the conversation short. "Stanley, the car's here. Let's go."

"Stanley, Jessica, see you later," Benny said.

The Rolls-Royce glided smoothly through the city streets, the quiet, opulent interior filled with an air of calmness. The dazzling city lights outside refracted against the polished windows, creating a cinematic interplay of shadows on Stanley's chiseled face—elegant and enigmatic.

From the driver's seat, Zayn glanced back respectfully. "Sir, where to?"

"To the office," Stanley answered curtly.

Jessica observed him quietly, love evident in her gaze. She broke the silence with a question. "Stanley, what was that with Wendy earlier? You're not interested in her now that she's grown more beautiful, are you?"

Stanley turned his sharp gaze toward her, his voice nonchalant yet teasing. "She's my wife. If something were to happen, wouldn't that be normal? Wasn't it you who handed her to me in the first place?"

Jessica knew he still blamed her for leaving him behind to marry Wendy three years ago while he was in a state of coma.

"Stanley, it wasn't like that. Wendy insisted on marrying you—I had no choice but to let her take my place…"

Stanley's piercing gaze held hers. "Do you even believe that yourself?"

Jessica faltered.

Biting her lower lip, she feigned defiance. "Fine! Three years ago, I abandoned you—if you can't forgive me for that, then let's just break up! You can simply get rid of me if you don't want me anymore."

She turned to Zayn and ordered, "Zayn, stop the car!"

Jessica wanted to get out, but before she could leave, Stanley's long, elegant fingers reached out, grabbing her delicate wrist and yanking her firmly to his chest.

Jessica's soft body collided with his solid frame, and she froze.

Above her, Stanley's deep, exasperated voice softened into indulgence. "Jessica, you're only this bold because you know I'd spoil you rotten."